𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆│𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄

→ 𝐈.𝐈𝐕

.

ACT I
CHAPTER IV

Apollo

A SHINING red Maserati Spyder-cabrio melts the snow around it away. The chauffeur steps out smiling. He looks around 17-18 years old and oozes confidence and arrogance.

"Little sister!" Apollo smiles brightly, almost blinding them with his teeth. "How is it? You never call, never write. I started to worry."

Artemis sighs, "I am good, Apollo. And I am not your little sister."

"Hey, I am the firstborn."

"We are twins! How many millennia do we have to twist..."

"Wat is going on?" Apollo intercepts his sister, "you have your girls with you, I see. Do you need tips in the archery area."

Artemis looks at her brother, "I want you to do something for me. I must hunt, alone. I want you to bring my companions to camp half-blood."

"Of course, little sister," he raises his hands into the air. "I feel a haiku coming."

The huntresses groan and Percy sees the huntress he recognizes as Elowyn roll her eyes.

"Green grass breaks through snow.
Artemis begs me for help,
I am so cool." Apollo grins at his finish, waiting for his applause.

"The last line was only four syllables." Artemis says.

Apollo frowns, "really?"

"Yes, what do you think of: I am so arrogant?"

"No, no that is six syllables. Hmmm..."

"Since Lord Apollo visited Japan, he has been in a haiku phase. It is less bad then when he returned from Limerick. If I must hear one more poem starting with Once upon a time, there was a god in Olympus..." Zoë says to the half-bloods.

"I got it!" Apollo says, "I am awesome. That is 5 syllables!" he grins widely, "so now, little sister, transport for the huntresses you said? Great timing, I was just ready for a journey."

"These half-bloods also need a lift." Artemis says, "a few campers of Chiron."

"No problemo," Apollo takes the half-bloods in, "let me have a look... Thalia, right? I have heard a lot about you."

Thalia blushes, "Hello Lord Apollo."

...

"Brother, we have to go," Artemis says after Apollo goes on a rant.

"Good," Apollo says, "then we better go, don't we? The way is only one way... to the west, and to late is too late."

"Cool car," Nico says in awe of the red fancy car.

"Thanks kiddo," Apollo smiles at the kid happy to impress him.

"But do we all fit in there?" his hands clasp around some cards.

"Oh," Apollo seems to understand the problem at hand, "Well, I hate to give up sport vehicle mode, but I am afraid..." with a bright flash the car changes into a school bus. "So, everyone get in we have places to be apparently."

Zoë commands the huntresses to load in their stuff. As soon as she wants to lift her own baggage, Apollo comes closer. "Let me do that, sweetheart." Zoë steps back, murder dances in her eyes.

"Little brother," Artemis sounds disappointed, "it is not allowed to help my huntresses. It is not allowed to look at, talk to or flirt with my huntresses. And it most certainly not allowed to call them 'sweetheart'."

"Sorry," Apollo puts his hand up in surrender, "I forgot. Hey sister, where are you off to?"

"I am going to hunt," Artemis answers, "and the rest isn't any of your business."

"I will find out anyway. I see everything. I know everything."

Artemis snorts, "just set them off, Apollo. And no fiddling."

"No, no! I never fiddle."

Artemis lifts her eyes to the sky and moves her eyes back at her attendants. "I will see you during the winter solstice. Zoë, you command the huntresses, act wise, act like I would do."

"Yes milady," Zoë straightens her back with the responsibilities she has gotten now.

The huntresses slowly get into the bus. They take the places in the back of the bus, everything to be as far away from Apollo as possible. All but one huntress is there within a few seconds.

"Don't worry too much about what lady Artemis has said." Elowyn says to Percy, disdain still present on her face, even as she goes to smiles at Nico who hands her back the black cat. "There is nothing to worry about, yet besides maybe your friend. And thank you Nico for taking such great care of Church." The huntress sees Thalia roll her eyes, "Thalia," Elowyn acknowledges the half-blood, "it is lovely to see you again. I wished it was under different circumstances, but fate decided differently." The girl in question scoffs. "Oh, and Grover." The huntress smiles brightly at the satyr, "you dropped something." She hands Grover his tin can back, and he looks down in embarrassment. "You don't have to be embarrassed," Elowyn smiles softly while touching his shoulder, "it happens to the best of us." With that, in Percy's eyes the kindest huntress he had met so far left to sit with her sisters. You could see a spot open for her besides Zoë and the boy wonders how the girl could be both so nice and cold at the same time.

"How is she so kind, while Zoë looks like she wants to murder us?" Percy asks Thalia.

"Because Zoë hates everyone except her sisters," Thalia says, "Elowyn follows her without a second thought, I don't know why she is kind today. Last time she was almost as bad as Zoë and believe me when I say you don't want to meet an angry Elowyn, she is the worst."

"Maybe she got a change of hearts?" Percy offers as explanation. "Or it is the difference of a good and bad day."

"I am not interested." Thalia rubs her temples with her fingers, "we need to find Annabeth, that is my priority."

In the back of the bus, Elowyn lays her head on Zoë's shoulder, feeling her sister relax and lean into the simplicity of the familiar touch.

"Is it bad to say that I am happy we don't have to venture there anytime soon?" Zoë whispers to the Elowyn, "I know my promise, and one day I will uphold it."

"It is okay," the red head says, "I am happy as well, but not as happy as I was when you promised me to come with me."

"And I would do it again," the lieutenant says, making Elowyn smile. "I care about you, and once we are safely at that stupid camp, we shall see how we will go on."

"Thank you," the younger huntress says, closing her eyes.